Are we witnessing the resurgence of the Italian Serie A?

Gianluigi Buffon (L) and Matthijs de Ligt (R) of Juventus are seen on arrival at the stadium prior to the International Champions Cup match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at the Nanjing Olympic Center Stadium on July 24, 2019 in Nanjing, China.

(July 23, 2019 - Source: Getty Images AsiaPac)

Can the Serie A really become more competitive?

Often considered to be one of the top five leagues in the world, conversations about the Serie A have continued to escalate in recent times. The attention towards the league has been vastly heightened by the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at the start of the 2018/2019 season. Ronaldo’s arrival has somewhat caused some more traction and attracted more players to come to Italy to compete. Now, with another Serie A season already here, one can’t help but wonder whether the upcoming season will be a matter of same champions, just a different season, or will the other teams step up to finally dethrone Juventus off their title. Furthermore, much will be expected from the Italian teams, particularly those participating in the UEFA Champions League, as they will be looking to bring home the trophy which has remained elusive for Italian teams for the past nine seasons. Below we have a look at the evolution of the league and possible outcomes from the new season.

One player can make all the difference

It is without a doubt that the Serie A has been gradually developing. One might be fooled to think that the league is not growing as Juventus continue to be the favorites to win every title on offer. However, that aside, one can argue that the league is growing for a number of different reasons. It is easy to underplay the effect that Ronaldo’s signing has had on Juventus and even the league. The best players are attracted to other top players, it makes the league better and more competitive. Firstly, the arrival of one of the top two best players in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo shows the progressive nature of the league, as well as its ability to attract high quality players to the top flight. Undoubtedly, Ronaldo’s arrival in Italy has had many ripple effects for the league, many of which are positive. His arrival has further attracted more big name players with the likes of Matthijs De Ligt, Romelu Lukaku, Aaron Ramsey, Danilo, Diego Godin and even the veteran Franck Ribery, just to name a few. The presence of more quality players in the league will improve the competition for the league title amongst the teams, bring in more merchandise and TV money as well as provide fans with high quality football entertainment. Therefore, reasons or factors such as the above are proof of the league’s growth.

Juan Cuadrado (L) of Juventus is challenged by Marten De Roon of Atalanta during the Serie A match between Juventus and Atalanta BC on May 19, 2019 in Turin, Italy.

(May 18, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

How ready are the Serie A’s top sides in challenging for the Champions League?

Juventus

​Many expected that the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus would help the team finally bring the Champions League title back to Turin, but the Old Lady’s misfortunes in the tournament continued as they were put to the sword by Ajax Amsterdam in the quarterfinals of the tournament last season. Nevertheless, the main agenda for the new season is no different for this Juventus side as the UEFA Champions League title remains the ultimate goal for them. To this end, the team has made a number of changes in a bid to ready the squad for the new Champions League season. In a move that is surely to change the team’s style of play, Juventus brought in Maurizio Sarri to replace Massimiliano Allegri who left at the end of last season. The team has further been quite busy in the transfer market, signing Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot to beef up the midfield and improve the creativity in the belly of the park. Furthermore, Juve has also strengthened the team’s defence with the capture of one of the most sought after signings of the summer in Matthijs De Ligt, as well as the swap deal involving the signing of Danilo who came in place of Joao Cancelo. Combine that with the experience of Gianluiggi Buffon, as well as the presence of seasoned players like Ronaldo, Higuain and Mario Mandzukic, Juve surely have the ammunition to go all the way and win this season’s Champions League. But team depth is not the only puzzle to glory. The arrival of Maurizio Sarri is an interesting factor that can have an upside and downside. Others are worried that Sarri could take some time to settle in at Juve, and his new players may initially have problems adapting to his methods. The 60-year-old has no experience of winning top-flight titles, although he did lead Chelsea to Europa League glory last term. It therefore remains to be seen whether Sarriball will provide the right tonic and help finally bring the Champions League title to Turin for the first time in 23 years.

Rodrigo Bentancur (L) of Juventus and Nicolo Zaniolo of Roma compete for the ball during the Serie A match between Juventus and AS Roma on December 22, 2018 in Turin, Italy.

(Dec. 21, 2018 - Source: Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images Europe)

AS Roma

AS Roma are in another period of transition under new manager Paulo Fonseca and the Portuguese boss is imprinting a new style upon them. The Giallorossi did poorly for their standards last season and finished sixth. Furthermore, the team waved goodbye to one of its greatest legends in Daniel De Rossi, leaving the team with a huge void to fill in terms of leadership and overall quality in the team. This season, Roma bolstered its defense with the acquisition of Leonardo Spinazzola and Gianluca Mancini. In addition, Bryan Cristante, who enjoyed success at Atalanta is expected to spearhead the midfield. Having had one of the most porous back-lines in Serie A last season, the team has also brought in a centre back, Gianluca Mancini from Atalanta who has big shoes to fill following the departure of Manolas. Moreover, the team should be pleased by the news that Edin Dzeko’s future is now sorted and the player is staying put for another season. AS Roma also received a further boost last week when Italian midfield sensation Nicolò Zaniolo penned a new five-year deal with the club. All in all, Roma’s primary focus will be fighting for a top four position and perhaps a round of sixteen qualification in the Champions League in the season following the current one.

“Juventus hired Sarri to guide them to Champions League glory, while Inter brought in the services of another former Chelsea coach in Antonio Conte. AS Roma captured the services of former Shakhtar Donetsk coach Paulo Fonseca. Only Carlo Ancelotti at Napoli and the highly impressive Gian Piero Gasperini, who led Atalanta to third position, remain unchanged.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

Supporters of Inter Milan during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Inter Milan and Barcelona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 20, 2010 in Milan, Italy.

(April 19, 2010 - Source: Claudio Villa/Getty Images Europe)

Inter Milan

Inter seem to have taken serious measures to help the team get back to challenging for league honours. Firstly, the appointment of former Chelsea coach in Antonio Conte to replace Luciano Spalletti by the board is a statement of inten. Next to this, Inter snatched the signing of former Man United forward, Romelu Lukaku, beating rivals Juventus to his signature. Furthermore, the Nerazurri have also been able to add some experience defensively by signing former Atletico Madrid defender in Diego Godin who boasts loads of years of Champions League experience. The team further acquired the services of Nicolo Barella, Valentino Lazaro, Stefano Sensi and now imminently Alexis Sanchez, all who are expected to play a big part in this reinvented Inter squad this season. With Conte at the helm, this Inter team will most certainly be challenging for league honours and they seem to be one of the sides that can push Juventus all the way for the title.

Napoli

Napoli’s defence looks solid as a rock after their summer capture of Kostas Manolas from Roma. The Greek international will form a formidable centre-half partnership with the dependable Kalidou Koulibaly as coach Carlo Ancelotti plots to bring the league title to the city for the first time in 29 years. Napoli’s transfer window has been the quietest of the big teams in Serie A, but that doesn’t mean they were unsuccessful. The signing of Kostas Manolas gives them one of the world’s most formidable center back pairing. The rest of the world already had to deal with Napoli’s elite attack, but now they’ll also have to find ways to score against a defence that features Manolas and Kalidou Koulibaly. That will be an unbelievably difficult task for any team. That move, coupled with the continued development of young talents like Fabian Ruiz, Alex Meret, and Arkadiusz Milik should make them a formidable opponent for anybody next season. Should we even mention the arrival of the dynamic Hirving Lozano?

Atalanta

The undisputed surprise packages of the 2018/2019 Serie A season. Atalanta finished third last season, the best ever in the club’s history. The pessimist out there would argue that the only place to go for them this season is down. Contrary to this, the optimists see an opportunity for more success. Most attribute the club’s success in recent times is to the team’s ability to produce youth players in abundance. Atalanta, however, have also gotten older and more experienced. In addition to striker Duvan Zapata, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men feature several newcomers in strikers Luis Muriel and midfielder Rusian Malinovskyi. This will allow the team to remain competitive both in the league and the Champions League group stages that begins next month. With their attack stronger than ever, there’s no limit to this team’s potential as they continue to shock teams across Italy. Many believe that the departure of young central defender Gianluca Mancini left a huge vacuum in their back-line that hasn’t been properly filled as of yet. Though Atalanta have been almost inactive in this transfer window, the fact that they kept a talented core together should be enough for Gian Piero Gasperini’s men to have a decent run in their maiden appearance in Europe’s biggest tournament.

Atalanta BC coach Gian Piero Gasperini looks on during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and UC Sampdoria at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia on October 7, 2018 in Bergamo, Italy.

(Oct. 6, 2018 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe)

Luring in the best gaffers

There has been a considerable number of coaching changes in the Serie A this off season. Interestingly, four of the teams that finished in the top six last year appointed new managers. Juventus hired Sarri to guide them to Champions League glory, while Inter brought in the services of another former Chelsea coach in Antonio Conte. AS Roma captured the services of former Shakhtar Donetsk coach Paulo Fonseca. Only Carlo Ancelotti at Napoli and the highly impressive Gian Piero Gasperini, who led Atalanta to third position, remain unchanged. These factors are likely to be key and become a determining factor regarding who walks away with the Serie A title come May 2020.

On paper, it looks likely to be a three-horse race for the honours this season with perennial runners-up Napoli as well as Inter, likely to push Juventus all the way. With more world class players being drawn to the league each passing season, the attractiveness of this league is moving at lighting speed. Now with all said and done, this Serie A campaign might just be one of the most exciting in years and better still, the only way for this league seems to be all the way up! Who’re you’re vouching for?

The pursuit of justice for racial abuse on Kalidou Koulibaly continues

We cannot not deny the impact of the efforts that have been made by the responsible authorities over the years to curb racism but still, players of color often receive this kind of abuse on and off the pitch. On the 26th of December 2018, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly was a subject of racial abuse in a match with local rivals, Inter Milan. We have been made to believe that the due process to deal with such issues is to report it to the FIFPro and UEFA who will launch a probe on the matter before making a decision. However, no action has been taken so far against the disrespectful fans. Here’s a recap.

The incident

Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli during the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between SSC Napoli and Liverpool at Stadio San Paolo on October 3, 2018 in Naples, Italy.

(Oct. 2, 2018 - Source: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe)

The Senegalese defender was at his job on a typical matchday Sunday in the Italian Serie A before the unfortunate incident took place. Some of the Inter Milan fans started making monkey noises directed at Kalidou Koulibaly in the match. The player was then sent off after picking up 2 yellow cards. He was suspended for two matches as punishment for sarcastically clapping off the referee after receiving marching orders. In the aftermath, Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti came out to say that they made calls to end the match after hearing the abuse but it fell on deaf ears. He was not pleased with the way the officials handled the matter in the game.

Koulibaly’s support system

Not so long after, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba wore an armband in support of Kalidou Koulibaly after the incident. The player’s message was clear and directed to the perpetrators who are fighting against the game’s values of honor, tolerance and respect. He was not the only one to show much needed support to the player. Even the Inter Milan coach, Luciano Spalletti was quoted to having said, “We were with Koulibaly, as we are at the side of all those who are targeted during the games.”

Also, fellow African Faouzi Ghoulam of Napoli wore Koulibaly’s No 26 shirt in the warm up for the game against Bologna in which the defender was suspended. He was joined by the fans who held up anti-racism banners and photos of Koulibaly.  

Ancelotti’s threat

Carlo Ancelotti has since threatened to lead his team off the pitch if there is a repeat of such an incident. There is no place for racism in the game of football and everywhere else. He said, “The boy was on edge, he's an educated footballer who was targeted. What happened today was bad, not only for us but also for Italian football.”

The authorities’ actions

The Italian League judge gave the verdict that Inter Milan would play the next two home matches behind closed doors. This means that their supporters would not be allowed to populate the stadiums and support their club. Also, the verdict included a partial closure for the club’s third home game.

However, the culprits who led the chants have not been punished. The Italian FA should do more and make sure that these fans are banned from the stadium for life.

Carlo Ancelotti offered Italy job

The Italy national team did not want to waste their time in offering the experienced Carlo Ancelotti to become the head coach. This decision came from a meeting that helped between Ancelotti and the representatives of the Italian Football Association in a meeting that is believed to have lasted for an hour-and-a-half. The manager has been out of a job since being sacked by Bayern Munich in September last year and was replaced by Jupp Heynckes. The manager has since been on the radar of Arsenal who are looking for a perfect replacement for the outgoing Arsene Wenger.

Ancelotti is still yet to accept the offer for the Italy national team job which fuels speculation as to why he has not. Rumors are circulating that the 58-year old is interested in the soon-to-be-vacant job in the English Premier League with a club that has been well run over the years. He recently refused to rule himself out of the job and some fans have since expressed their admiration of a manager who is great at bringing out the best in players as well as playing an attractive form of football that has since become the identity of Arsenal since 1996. We are to believe that Ancelotti will use this offer to push Arsenal into reacting if they are seriously considering the experienced Italian boss who has managed the biggest clubs in Europe. He has managed to win 3 UEFA Champions League trophies and that is definitely something that Ivan Gazidis should be looking at considering that Arsenal are still yet to win one European competition. Will Ancelotti accept the offer or will he risk it and wait for Arsenal who might not even be considering him?

Feature: The curious case of replacing Arsene Wenger

The football world was blown away when Arsene Wenger stepped out to the public and stated that he would be leaving the club at the end of this season. This was quite shocking considering that Arsene has claimed to have respected all his contracts as a coach and he is currently on a 2-year contract that expires next season. This leaves us with a lot of questions as to why the legend just decides to go at the end of this season. Could it be that he faced the reality that the club was ailing in his hands instead of progressing like he thought he could make them? But this was just one of the stories that were in the headlines on this day. Many people had their thoughts on Wenger’s decision as well as his legacy and replacements.

Mesut Ozil was the first player to share his sentiment on Arsene Wenger. It is well known that the former Real Madrid star swapped the tremendous Spanish club for Arsene in a £42.5m move. He has since claimed that Wenger was a significant influence in him moving to the English side ahead of other big offers from clubs such Bayern Munich in Germany and the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United who were interested in his services. The player has said that he is proud to have made that decision and come to Arsenal and play against a manager of Wenger’s stature. The coach believes in an attacking team that allows the midfielders to dominate the game in possession and splitting the opposition with some timely passes.

Another player who played Wenger shared his thoughts on Wenger’s imminent departure. Lukas Podolski acknowledges that 22 years at the helm of one club is quite a feat but leaves a lot of marks now that he is going. The German played for Arsenal for 2-and-a-half years before moving to Galatasaray. He is also curious to find out which direction the club will take after his former boss’ decision. He is quoted as having said, “It's a question of whether they want someone with experience like Arsene Wenger, a guy like Carlo Ancelotti, or maybe a young, hungry coach.” This is something that is on everyone’s mind because this is the first time the club is on the market after 22 years.

Arsenal Chairman, Ivan Gazidis, had a lot to say about Wenger’s legacy. He is obviously grateful to the manager for the legacy that he leaves at the club. He also took the opportunity to reassure the fans that the club will be on the hunt for a manager who will take Arsenal to the next level. Gazidis said, “The process begins today. I want to keep that process in-house. This club has to rise to the challenge. You don't find a replacement for Arsene Wenger. You find a new path forward.” The club has to be bold in making that decision when they eventually have to choose from a pool of options because they have made a lot of mistakes in the past when other great managers like Klopp and Guardiola were available. Could they go for the experienced Ancelotti like Podolski mentioned?

We also looked at what Ancelotti thought about the idea of joining Arsenal. The Italian has been out of a job since last September when Bayern Munich sacked him. The manager refused to rule himself out of a job saying, “I can say I would like to work again, but that depends on me. If I find the right possibility, the right project I would be delighted to continue.” We take hints from his message that he is referring to Arsenal because they are a club who have been well run and have a great crop of talent that lack motivation. He is known for bringing the best out of a player and it would be interesting if the club decides to go for him.

Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague also had this opinion on who should come to the Emirates Stadium and replace Wenger. He looked at the prospect of former Barcelona coach Enrique leading the Gooners with his attacking mentality which suits the way the club has been playing under the current coach. Balague believes that Luis Enrique is interested in the job after having a season out of football waiting for the right job to appear. It is quite sad that everyone is now focused on who will be leading the club next season while the Frenchman is still left with less than two months.  

Jamie Redknapp has come out and stated that no one should feel sorry for the Frenchman. This is because the manager has had an opportunity that lasted for 22 years. What is sad is seeing a coach being sacked after one year and never having another opportunity to coach another top club ever again. Everyone should instead respect the Frenchman and celebrate his legacy which leaves fond memories for the Arsenal faithful. Redknapp thinks that the club is now ready for someone who has a connection with the club like Thierry Henry. He believes the former Arsenal captain has the hunger that the club needs if they are to maintain their status as a top club in Europe.

What next for Wenger you may ask? Some believe he still has a lot to offer in football but not at Arsenal. Arsene has had control at Arsenal for so many years and probably should not be appointed as the Director of Football as it might bring conflict with whoever comes in to replace him as a coach and fails to agree with him on certain things. Instead, Wenger can lead a club like PSG who are on the lookout for a top manager, and he is undeniably that and more. With the right players, he can deliver.  

In the midst of the Pogba treatment, Kaka shares his opinion on Mourinho

The Manchester United is not popular for building lasting relationships with most of the players that he has managed in different clubs so far. The latest to be believed to not be on good books with Jose Mourinho is Manchester United’s most expensive player in Paul Labile Pogba. The midfielder has had an inconsistent season, and rumours are quoting that the player feels he is not playing in his best position. Many players have come out to talk about the Portuguese and Pogba probably cannot follow suit as he is still under the boss. Maybe we could hear a lot about his situation sometime later in the future when the boss moves on to another club. The Real Madrid captain, Sergio Ramos shared no sentiment with Jose and claimed that he was just another coach for Real Madrid who cannot be compared to Ancelotti because of his man-management skills. The latest to have a say about the Portuguese is the former Balon d’Or winner, Ricardo Kaka from Brazil. The player joined Madrid the same year that Cristiano Ronaldo made his move to the Bernabeu, but he did not enjoy the best of times with the Los Blancos when Mourinho was in charge.

He said, “Jose Mourinho was a difficult coach for me, and we had a respectful but complicated relationship. I trained, I fought, and I prayed a lot, but having not received the confidence of the coach, I realised that I could not work with him.”

Mourinho is very famous for ousting players in his team as he got rid of Casillas at Madrid, Lampard in his second stint at Chelsea, Schweinsteiger at United among others. Kaka was so unfortunate to be a part of that list as he eventually left Madrid for greener pastures. The Brazilian has since retired in 2017 and hopes that the coach can learn a couple of things that can make him better at producing results on the pitch. Do you think that Mourinho will eventually learn his lesson and treat his players with much more respect and care?  

Bayern win 6th straight Bundesliga Title

Bayern Munich thrashed Augsburg 4-1 to claim their sixth successive Bundesliga title. The German champions were disappointed by an early own goal by Sule which gave the advantage to Augsburg in the 18th minute. Before Augsburg’s confidence grew, Joshua Kimmich took up the creative responsibility and crossed in for Tolisso who scored in the 32nd minute. From then on, it was all Bayern as Kimmich also provided a goal for James Rodriguez only six minutes later. Arjen Robben’s half-volley and Wagner’s header confirmed the victory for the side and sparked the title-winning celebrations on a day that Frank Ribery was born. This victory means that Bayern Munich have now won 27 Bundesliga titles and this is the fourth title for coach Jupp Heynckes, who came out of retirement to replace Ancelotti late last year. Bayern have undeniably dominated the domestic league. This makes one wonder what their rivals are doing and if they are doing enough to stop this consistent team. Borussia Dortmund their closest rivals for years have recently fallen backward and are not as competitive as they used to be. It seems as if they have given up considering that most of their talented players and that of the rest of the teams in the league, are just lured to the German champions which weakens them.